Dorathea's Woodland-Fairytale Birthday Party

When I was little my favorite way to play with friends was to pretend to be a fantasy character.  My favorite toy was a pink My Little Pony castle and I imagined the unicorns and me living in it together up in the clouds.

When I was in high school I painted a picture that said, "Once upon a time" across the top in gold.  It was a misty view of a distant castle as seen from a forest.

Later in college I did a more serious illustration that said, "Once upon a time a princess was troubled by the world she would inherit",but by then it was serious "real art" you know (wink).

It is no shock then that my little girl choose (really on her own) a fairytale theme for her 7th birthday.  When I asked her to describe the party I said

"Once upon a time" and she picked up, "..lived a unicorn named Dorathea and a prince named Jonathan. The prince decided to throw a birthday party for his best friend."
And the stage was set for a fantastic party.

I debated as I spend hours and days preparing for the party.  I even prayed about whether this was a worthwhile use of my time. I felt like God was saying;

"You are delighting in your daughter, and that's your most important job as a mom.  She will only have a seventh birthday once, celebrate her/with her to the fullest!".  

I also debated a fairytale theme.  There are a lot of dark parts of those old stories.  But as I prayed about it God reminded me of those castles and "Once upon a times".  As a girl I was yearning for a supernatural place in a castle in the clouds, now I understand my heart was yearning for heaven.  In my girlhood

God was illustrating in my imagination the place he has prepared for me, a place we could hang out, a place more real than real life.  
He was setting my heart on an ever-after life that he alone could satisfy.

That's important because I want my little girl to know the way to that ever-after life too.  Because
I still "pretend" to visit that castle now.  And when I go there I am visiting my Heavenly Father.

So here is the fantastic scene I set for a little fairy princess, and like a fairy godmother, I orchestrated a wonderful party.  I completely spent myself setting it all up.  But it was soooo rewarding, the best use of my time.  Here I am playing pretend with my daughter;

The cake!  I used D's toys and let her put them on the cake herself. Perfect job for her.

 The princes are getting ready!

we found Mr Frog Prince in a garden bed and gave him a toilet paper-roll crown.  

The Toadstool was also excavated from the garden and D and J helped me give it a fresh coat of paint. 

 The fairies have prepared their own birthday feast for the birthday girl.

 Look closely.  This is a miniature tea set, gazebo, and banner, in a fairy garden.  (I iced a cupcake to look like a fairy sized cake)

 She planted most of the fairy garden herself. What a fun way for a child to garden!

 This was one four storybook clues in the Unicorn treasure quest.
I made the signs with scrap wood and silver puff paint.  They make a fun permanent addition to my garden.  The other treasure hunt signs read; Fairy Garden, Frog Prince's Toadstool, Tigerlilie's TeePee, and Dragon Rock (which was guarded by wonderful young James in a dragon costume).

  The food table.  Make your own trail mix in the baskets with toppings in the little chest of drawers.

 wooden castle turned into a cup and napkin service

Alice In Wonderland  inspired, "Drink Me" Lemonade

  tree stump chairs for a woodland feel.

 The Knight and Faerie princess are ready for guests!

 The guests are here!!!

 This is Kate, Dorathea's new friend

Jonathan and friends questing

King Daddy hugging his princess

Thank you Dorathea for letting me enjoy girlhood again as I celebrate you,

and Thank you God for caring enough to show me where you were in my own girlhood.

I hope this day, and this seventh year will be as beautiful a memory for Dorathea as it is for me.  - Allison